Denali National Park officials, who last month said all entries for the annual road lottery would have to be submitted on-line, have reversed course in response to public concerns over that method. You'll now be able to make entries by phone, mail, and on-line.

The 2011 annual road lottery in Denali will take place on September 16, 17, 18, and 19 (Friday through Monday), weather permitting.

Beginning on Friday, June 17 through June 30,  entries will be accepted by phone at (877) 444-6777 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. – midnight (Eastern Time).

Entries will also be accepted by mail. Please be certain that:

* A legible return address, including a first and last name (this is needed for notification) is on the envelope. Include an email address if available, as it will allow for quicker notification.

* Your desired dates, in order of preference, are on the back of the envelope. If no dates are provided, dates of September 16, 17, 18, and 19 will be assigned in that order.

* A check or money order for $10, made payable to the “National Park Service,” is included. This  fee is non-refundable.

Entries should be sent to:

                 Road Lottery
                 Denali National Park and Preserve
                 P.O. Box 9
                 Denali Park, AK 99755

Entries sent by mail must be received by the park by June 30 to be included in this year's drawing. Submit entries early to make certain they arrive in time.  Entries that arrive after the drawing will be returned.

Entries can be made online at www.recreation.gov.  The online entry form will be available until midnight on June 30 (Alaska time).

Only one entry per person is allowed, and duplicate entries will be disqualified.

The non-refundable entry fee payment of $10 will be charged to a credit card during the online or phone application process. Lottery winners will be billed the $25 Road Lottery Fee at the time of the drawing. Lottery winners entering by mail will be sent a bill of collection for the $25 Road Lottery Fee, which must be paid by August 15. This fee will be refunded only if the Park Road does not open by 2:00 p.m., due to weather or road conditions, on the day of the permit.

Everyone who submitted an entry will be notified via email or U.S. mail regarding the status of their entry. Those who are drawn in the lottery will also receive a letter confirming the day of their permit, with additional information on how to obtain the road permit and how to prepare for their visit to the park.

By July 15, the names of individuals drawn for permits will also be posted on the park website at www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/road-lottery.htm

All permit holders must pay the park entrance fee of $20 per vehicle on the day of their permit unless they have a federal recreation pass such as the Denali Annual Pass or the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (Annual, Senior, Access, or Volunteer). Go to www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm for more information.

Permits are transferable, i.e. the person awarded the permit can give it to someone else if they are not able to participate that weekend. The person transferring the permit must provide the original notification and a short note explaining the transfer to the new permit holder, who must bring that documentation to the park when they check in for their road permit.

The possibility of inclement weather in September is always a factor. Some years the road has only been partially open because of snow. Lottery participants are encouraged to visit the park website for updated road and weather information the day before or the morning of their permit.

Lottery information is available on the park website at www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/road-lottery.htm or by calling park headquarters at (907) 683-9532 from 8 a.m. -4:30 p.m. daily.